How to change directory of windows search without activating windows search?

Windows could not start the windows search service on local computer

I have this problem and none of the normal solution work.

So I open event viewer and this is what I see

The Windows Search Service has failed to create the new search index. Internal error <1, 0x80070003, Failed to create application directory:

E:\index\Search\Data\Applications\ .

I think I know what's the problem is. Basically I set the windows search directory to

E:\index\Search\Data\Applications\

However, that drive no longer exist. I want to change the location of windows search directory but because windows service is not running I can't do that

So it's catch 2 2

Where is that info is located

I did a bit research and some sites say that the info is in registry

Yet my registry listed the default directory as the location

https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/59016-change-search-index-location-windows-10-a.html

So no good Update: I find E:\index\Search\Data\Applications\ in the registry and I found it in

Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows Search\Gathering Manager\DefaultApplicationPath

I tried to change and get an error message that can be fixed here https://www.howtogeek.com/262464/how-to-gain-full-permissions-to-edit-protected-registry-keys/

If the problem is related to the path being inaccesible you could use the Windows disk management (diskmgmt.msc) to do a number of things:

• Add a secondary drive letter to an existing drive. This might be an issue if you plan to move the folder to the same drive but might be a good option if your drive just changed letters.
• Setup a temporary virtual disk (really small) to have a disk the service could write to that would also be easy to discard.

Either way the path would be accessible and the service should come up (if that is the problem). Which should allow you to change the directory.